Looking for a cruise on a ship that is intimate and upscale? Our latest Cruise Ship Tour, in the carousel above, offers a deck-by-deck look at Le Soleal — a small, elegant vessel that carries just 264 passengers.

Unveiled in 2013, Le Soleal is one of four nearly identical ships operated by Ponant, a small French cruise line with a global customer base.

France-based Ponant's 264-passenger Le Soleal was christened in 2013. Six decks high and 466 feet ...more

France-based Ponant's 264-passenger Le Soleal was christened in 2013. Six decks high and 466 feet in length, it is one of four nearly identical vessels at the line that debuted between 2010 and 2015.

Until recently, Ponant had been relatively unknown to Americans. But that's been changing in recent years as the fast-growing operator markets its fleet of yacht-like vessels more heavily in the USA.

As can be seen in the tour, Le Soleal is stylish and contemporary in design with sleek cabins, a spa and other upscale touches. But it's also a rugged vessel designed to go to some of the world's most extreme places. It boasts a strengthened hull to sail in icy polar regions and carries Zodiac boats for landings in remote areas.

Ponant is known for some of the most off-the-beaten-path itineraries in the cruise industry and is a specialist in trips to Antarctica and the Arctic.

The Le Soleal photo tour is part of our ongoing series of cruise ship galleries. For an inside look at dozens of other passenger vessels sailing the world's oceans and rivers, click on the links below: